Greenways Advisory Committee

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-GRN-2025-06-05 ### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on June 5, 2025, to discuss parks and recreation planning, staffing changes, and trail mapping initiatives. The committee welcomed new member Kathy and received updates on the Parks and Recreation Operations Plan (PROS Plan) inventory and upcoming trail mapping efforts. ### Key Terms and Concepts **PROS Plan:** The Parks and Recreation Operations Plan is Bellingham's 20-year strategic plan for parks, trails, and recreation services, updated every six years to guide development and acquisitions. **Placer AI Data:** Cell phone-based foot traffic data that tracks visits to parks and trails, showing usage patterns, peak times, and seasonal trends across the city's park system. **Level of Service:** Standards that define how accessible park amenities should be to residents, such as a 10-minute walk to neighborhood parks or a 5-minute drive to community parks. **Trail Corridors:** Primary trail routes that connect parks, open spaces, and regional trail systems, serving as the "arterial" pathways in the citywide trail network. **ArcGIS Online:** The mapping platform committee members will use to review and comment on proposed trail connections during the PROS Plan update process. **Span of Control:** Management principle referring to the number of employees one supervisor can effectively oversee, with 8-12 direct reports considered optimal. **Greenways Levy:** Voter-approved funding specifically designated for acquiring, developing, and maintaining parks, trails, and open spaces in Bellingham. **Community Parks:** Larger parks (like Lake Padden and Boulevard Park) designed to serve the entire city with major recreational facilities and amenities. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Peter (last name not given) | Parks and Recreation staff presenting PROS Plan inventory | | Lane (last name not given) | Parks and Recreation staff leading trail mapping discussion | | Steve Janiszewski | Park Operations Manager | | Steve Nordeen | Retiring Park Grounds Maintenance Manager (36-year career) | | Annalise Burns | Habitat and Restoration Manager, Public Works Department | | Neil (last name not given) | Committee member who raised process concerns about Wharf Street project | | David (last name not given) | Committee member | | Kathy | New committee member, lives near the Railroad Grade Trail | | Brian Armstrong | Public commenter advocating for increased volunteer program support | | Chris Sandvig | Public commenter suggesting Samish Crest to Galbraith Mountain trail connection | ### Background Context Bellingham is updating its PROS Plan for 2025-2045, a comprehensive 20-year strategy that guides all parks and recreation decisions. The city expects to accommodate about 30,000 new residents over the next 20 years, requiring strategic planning for new parks and trail connections. The PROS Plan serves as more than a wish list—it has legal weight, allowing the city to require developers to provide park and trail facilities when building new projects. The Greenways Advisory Committee plays a crucial role in this process, particularly for trail planning. Their recommendations help determine which trail projects receive funding from the voter-approved Greenways levy. The committee is currently preparing to review and refine the citywide trail network map, which will guide acquisition priorities and capital projects for the next six years. The Parks Operations Division is undergoing significant restructuring following the retirement of a long-serving manager who supervised 32 staff members—far above the recommended span of control. This reorganization will create three new field supervisors to better manage grounds, trails, and urban forestry crews. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee welcomed new member Kathy and heard public comments about invasive species management and the need for better volunteer program support. Staff presented detailed PROS Plan inventory data showing Lake Padden as the most-visited park (838,000 annual visits) and Elizabeth Park as the top neighborhood park (40,000 visits). Parks Operations Manager Steve Janiszewski announced the retirement of Grounds Maintenance Manager Steve Nordeen and explained plans to create three new field supervisor positions to improve span of control. Peter presented comprehensive park usage data from Placer AI, revealing seasonal patterns and time-of-day usage across different park types. The city currently manages 26 neighborhood parks, 10 community parks, 16 special-use sites, and 75 open space properties totaling nearly 1,500 acres. Lane introduced the trail mapping process for the PROS Plan update, explaining how committee members will use ArcGIS Online to review and comment on proposed trail connections. The process will culminate in an August workshop with printed maps for detailed review. Committee member Neil raised procedural concerns about the Wharf Street Trail project, questioning whether the committee should have been asked to make a formal recommendation before nearly $1 million in Greenways funding was committed. ### What to Watch Next • Committee members must log into their new ArcGIS Online accounts within two weeks or lose access • Trail mapping workshop scheduled for August meeting with large printed maps for detailed review • July meeting canceled—next regular meeting in August at a different location TBD • Field trips begin June 13 to Samish Crest, with three more scheduled through September • Budget proposal coming this fall will include all Greenways-funded projects for committee review ---